Total taking means for calculating



April 17, 1951 H. M. FLEMING 2,549,186

TOTAL TAKING MEANS FOR CALCULATING MACHINES Filed July 7, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR. HOW/4E0 N; F1 f/W/VG Patented Apr. 17, 1951 TOTAL TAKING MEANS FOR CALCULATING MACHINES Howard M. Fleming, West Orange, N. J assignor to Monroe Calculating Machine Company, Orange, N. J a corporation of Delaware Application July 7, 1948, Serial No. 37,360

9 Claims. 1

The invention relates to listing calculators and particularly to improved means for taking the total from the accumulators thereof. More specifically, the invention relates to total taking means for listing calculators employing totalizer wheel gears having tens transfer mechanism of the crawl type such as, for example, described in U. S. Patent #l,828,180, issued to Clyde Gardner on October 20, 1931. g In totalizer gears having tens transfer means of the abovementioned crawl type, it is customary to bring the gears to zero successively from right to left of the machine. The invention herein disclosed is shown in connection with total taking mechanism constructed in accordance with Patent #2261341 to L. P. Crosman, issued November 4, 1941. As disclosed in this patent, the total taking operation is progressed from right to left as rapidly as the successive totalizer gears are brought to zero; the movement of the lower order gear to zero operating to initiate the release of the next higher order gear. The invention, however, is not limited to use in connection with total taking operations employing the mechanisms of the aforementioned Patent #2261341, but is equally applicable in conjunction with other total taking mechanisms for totalizer gears having tens transfer means of the above mentioned crawl type wherein the gears are successively zeroized. An example of such a mechanism is described in Patent #1,867,002 issued to Clyde Gardner on July 12, 1932, in which the totalizer gears are successively brought to zero; the successive timing being governed by a member operating upon the mechanisms from right to left at time intervals.

An inherent fault in the prior art devices resides in a bind which occurs in the crawl carry mechanism under certain conditions during a total taking operation. The bind prevents certain of the totalizer gears from being brought to their zero positions and the consequent misalignment of the type for the printing operation. The devices of the present invention do not, however, operate to prevent said bind, but to remove the bind, thereby allowing the totalizer gears to be brought to their zero positions prior to the aligning and printing operations. A similar problem occurs in the case of totalizer gears having crawl tens transfer means of the planetary differential type between said gears.

An object of the invention is to provide auxiliary aligning means engageable with the proper one of a plurality of lower teeth of each of the alignor racks of certain of the actuator levers for lowering the same and the type bars thereof, and means for operating the auxiliary aligning means and subsequently operating the main aligning means engageable with the alignor racks of all of the actuator levers. Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter or will be obvious.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention:

Fig. 1 is a section taken through the keyboard and registering mechanism of a listing machine showing the total taking mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective of a totalizer unit of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a right side view showing the total key, the motor operated clutch and parts associated therewith.

The registering segments or racks of the machine form part of three-arm actuator levers 6! (Fig. 1), fulcrumed upon a shaft 668 and having stop bars Hi5 each adapted to cooperate with the stems of a bank of digit keys to limit the registering movement imparted to a totalizer gear 413. Type bars 6H provided with digit type are also connected with the levers 6 l 0, the latter thus serving to raise said type bars to bring the correct digit type thereof to the printing line. Deression of a digit key will also remove the column latch 214 from the path of movement of its related bar 615, these latches normally preventing movement of the stop bar 615 and lever 6!!! in any column in which no key is depressed.

Levers Eli! are normally restrained by a spring tensioned rocker frame 6| 6 mounted on shaft 508 and carrying a series of latches 6|! normally engaged by studs 659 of the levers 5m. Movement of frame tilt is governed in known manner by a cam 3! (Fig. 3), secured upon rock shaft 36!, the latter having connection through arm 3H5, link I03, driven clutch plate l 05, and clutch pawl I53 with the driving member [04 of a clutch operatively connected with an electric motor :00. The control whereby this clutch is engaged in effecting the registration of items set up on the keyboard does not concern the present invention.

Each totalizer unit of the machine, as illustrated in Fig. 2, consists of a pinion 412 adapted to be brought into mesh with the rack of one of the actuator levers 6| 9, this pinion being coupled by engagement of members 4'! 1, 41! with a float ing gear 410. Floating gear 41!] engages the internal gearteeth of totalizer gear 413 and is rotatably mounted upon an eccentric 430, fast upon a sleeve extendin from the adjacent right hand or lower order totalizer gear. Movements imparted to pinion 412 are transmitted to totalizer gear 473 by rotation of floating gear 4'10, and at the same time rotation of cam 430 will carry the next higher order floating gear 470 in an orbit within the teeth of its totalizer gear 413, resulting in a movement of this higher order gear of one.- tenth the extent of movement of the lower order gear.

In the drawings the invention is shown as applied to a totalizing mechanism wherein the totalizer gears 413 (Fig. 1) of an accumulator which are meshed with the racks of the actuator levers BID are rotated subtractively thereby to zero one after the other, from right to left of the machine. The total taking operation is initiated upon depression of total key 2'18 (Fig. 3) whereupon the rack of the actuator lever EIB' (Fig. 1) of the lowest order totalizer gear 413 will be moved in counterclockwise direction by spring 683, thereby rotating said gear subtractively until the index shoulder 45'! thereonengages its associated zero stop 36?. The associated type bar 6H Will accordingly be raised to bring the digit type thereof representing the amount cleared from the totalizer gear to printing line position. As the index shoulder of the totalizer gear is moved into engagement with its zero. stop, the movement is utilized to operate the mechanism to release. the next higher order actuator lever to rotate that order totalizer gear. to zero. The operation will thus. continue from. right to left until all ofthe totalizer gears have been moved against their zero stops. The mechanism which operates to release the actuator levers forms no part of the present invention andv referencev is had to the aforementioned Patent #2361341. in which such mechanism is fully disclosed. The bind occurring in the crawl carry mechanism under certain conditions andthereby preventing proper alignment of the type will now be described.

When a totalizer gear 413 (Fig. 2). having a high value, for example, such as 7,..8 or 9 registered therein i movedtoward its zero position, the extent of movement provides time for a considerable accelerationof speed. The associated actuator lever 6H), stop bar 615 andtype bar. EH, in. driving connection. with the totalizer gear 413 constituting a considerablemassacquires proportionate momentum. Therefore, when the index shoulder 45'! of the totalizer. gear is moved into contact with its zero stop 36! there is a give to the parts followed by a rebound in the. reverse direction. It will be apparent that in thereverse movement, the index shoulder of the totalizer gear willbe moved away from the zero stop. and the type bar will move downwardly from the printing line position. Following the rebound the parts will again be urged in totalizing direction by sprin 683 to again move the index shoulder against the zero stop and raise the type bar to proper position. When the index shoulder of the totalizer gear engaged the zero stop before e the rebound, the totalizing operation for the next higher order totalizer gear was initiated as heretofore described. It will be apparent therefore that the higher order totalizer gear will be moved toward its zero position while the lower order gear is moving in reverse direction due to the rebound. It has been found that if there is a value. of 2 or more registered. in the higher order gear, the index shoulder thereof will bea sufficient distance fromits zero stop to provide time for the index shoulder of the lower order gear to be moved against its zero stop following its rebound before that of the higher order gear. In this case, the type bars of the lower and higher order gears will be moved into the correct printing line position as would occur if no rebound had taken place, If, however, a value of. 0 or liscontained in. the higher order totalizer gear; the index shoulder thereof will be moved into engagement with its zero stop before the shoulder of the lower order gear will have been moved from its rebounded position into contact with its zero stop. The lower order gear will now be urged toward its zero position following the rebound and the crawl carry eccentric 430 (Fig. 2) aflixed thereto will likewiseurge the higher order gear in the same direction. It. will be obvious, however, that as the index shoulder of the higher order gear is already'against its zero stop, the eccentric will be unable to drive the gear further in that direction. A bind will therefore take place between the eccentric 430 and the cylindrical aperture surface of the floating gear 4' related to the higher order totalizer gear. For this reason, the lower order gear will not be moved to its zero stop 361 following the rebound, as the eccentric affixed thereto is restrained from movement in that direction by the bind, and the type bar related to the lower order gear will, accordingly, be held below the printing line. position. It has been found that this displacement-of the, type bar may amount to as much as an entire figure. The higher order. type bar will, however, be oppositely moved or. raised. above the correct printing line position. This will be apparent, as the rebound ofthe lowerv order totalizer gear will have reen: tered av crawl carry to the higher order gear, thus adding a partial value in that gear. Therefore, when the index shoulder of the higher order gear is moved against its zero'stop, the related type bar will be raised above the printing line position a distance one-tenth the extent of displacement of the lower order type bar. If now the usual alignor 8!!) (Fig. 1). is operated, it-will be seen that the type bars will beheld in incorrect positionfor the printing operation.

According to the presentinvention, provision is made to move the higher order type bar downwardly to its correct. printing line position prior to the usual aligning operation, thereby removing the bind, which will alllow the next lower type bar to be raised to the correct printing line position. by action of spring 883. It will be observed from Fig. 1 that a downward adjustment of the higher order type bar. 6 will operate through the rack of. the actuator lever 6H3 to move pinion 4'12 in driving connection with floating. gear 410 in a counterclockwise direction, which action will relieve the bind between eccentric 430 and the cylindrical aperture surface-of said floating gear. The counterclockwise movement of floating gear 410 will tend to move the index shoulder of the relatedtctalizer gear in like direction from itszero stop- 361'. However, as the bind has now been released, the lower order totalizer gear. 413 will be moved clockwise by the rack of the related actuator lever 5| 0 until its index shoulder 45! is in contact with its zero stop 36'! and the related type bar 6 ll moved up wardly to its correct printing line position. This clockwise adjustment of the lower order totalizer gear will transmit a crawl, carry to the higher order gear, thus cancelling out the counterclockwise movement transmitted thereto by adjustment of the higher order type bar. Thus it will be seen that the index shoulder of the higher order totalizer gear will remain in contact with its zero stop during the adjusting operation.

To accomplish the foregoing an auxiliary alignor 80I (Fig. 1) is provided to operate prior to the usual alignor lever 8 I which latter is herein termed the main alignor. The auxiliary alignor 80I is constituted by a rotatable transversely mounted rod provided with a fiat surface portion 80I rotatable therewith to engage the alignor racks 802 of certain of the type bars 6| I. This auxiliary alignor rod 80I is so positioned below the main alignor 8I0 that when totalizer gears containing values greater than one are moved to their zero positions, the alignor racks of the related type bars will be moved above and out of range of said auxiliary alignor rod 80I. However, when totalizer gears containing a value of less than two are moved to their zero positions, the alignor racks of the related type bars will be within range of and in position to be engaged by the auxiliary alignor rod 80I. This is necessary, as it will be understood that the type bars which may be held in rebounded position must be free to move upon release of the binds by the action of the auxiliary alignor upon the racks of the respective next higher order type bars. It will be noted, however, that considerable latitude may be exercised in the location of the auxiliary alignor and it may be located above the position indicated in the drawings to suit varying conditions; provided the auxiliary alignor does not contact the racks of the rebounded type bars.

The alignor racks 802 of the actuator lovers 6 I 0 related to the type bars of the totalizer gears which contained a value of zero or one will never be raised more than a fraction of a tooth space of said racks. This will be evident as this raising of the said racks will be only one-tenth the extent of lowering of the racks of the rebounded type bars. Therefore upon counterclockwise operation of the auxiliary alignor rod 80I, the proper one of a plurality of lower teeth of each of the racks 802 related to the totalized gears which contained zero and/or one will be engaged by auxiliary alignor rod Bill and if raised as stated moved downwardly to their proper positions. This action as heretofore described will remove the binds, thereby allowing the rebounded type bars to be moved upwardly to their proper positions, and upon subsequent operation of the main alignor lever 8I0 will be accurately aligned and held for the printing operation.

The auxiliary alignor rod 80I and subsequently the main alignor lever 8 I 0 are operated by a roller 809 mounted on a vibratory arm 808 which is fast on oscillatory shaft 302. When the highest order totalizer gear 413 has been brought to its zero position, motor operation of the machine is initiated and clutch I04 (Fig. 3) having direct connection with the electric motor I00 (Fig. 1) is engaged and operates a single cycle, whereby shaft 302 is rocked clockwise to eifect the aligning and printing operations. The means whereby clutch I04 is engaged subsequently to the movement of the highest order gear 413 to its zero position forms no part of the present invention and such means is fully disclosed in the aforesaid Patent #2261341. Upon operation of clutch I04 (Fig. 3) lever 3; is oscillated counterclockwise and returned by link I08 which is attached at its rearward end to clutch plate I and at its opposite end to said lever 3I6. An arm 327 fixed on shaft 302 has link connection 328 with lever 3| 6 and upon oscillation of said lever, shaft 302 is rocked clockwise and returned.

Auxiliary alignor rod 80I (Fig. 1) is rotatably mounted at its ends in the framing of the machine and is provided with a crank 8I I. Pivotally connected to the end of the crank 8| I is the upwardly extending member 803 which is supported by a fixed pin 804 extending through a slot therein. Member 803 is held in raised position by a spring 805, having one end secured to a suitable .fixed frame (not shown) and thus crank 8| I and auxiliary alignor rod 80I are held in normal clockwise position. When shaft 302 is rocked, roller 809 on vibratory arm B08 is moved downwardly to contact the upper edge of member 803, thereby depressing said member against the tension of spring 805 and rocking crank 8H and auxiliary alignor rod 80I in a counterclockwise direction. Counterclockwise rocking of auxiliary alignor rod 885 will bring the fiat surfaced portion 80I' thereof into contact with the proper one of a plurality of lower teeth of each of the alignor racks 802 related to the type bars 6H of the totalizer gears 4i3 from which zero and/or one values have been totalized. Therefore, the type bars which may have been raised to bring the correct digit type thereof above the printing line, will be lowered to proper position, and accordingly the binds released and the rebounded type bars raised to proper position as heretofore described. Upon further downward movement of roller 809 said roller passes along a dwell 807 of arm 803 and into contact with a lever 8I2 which is fulcrumed on pin 804. Roller 809 will now rock lever 8I2 in a counterclockwise direction and through link 8I3 and cam plate 8I4 move the main alignor lever 8I0 into engagement with the alignor racks 802 of all of the actuator levers, thereby holding the type bars HI I in proper position for the printing operation. The main alignor lever 8I0 has a retracting spring 8I0 acting to restore the main alignor lever and the lever 8I2.

I claim:

1. In a calculating machine, a series of totalizer wheel gears, actuator levers therefor having racks meshing with said gears, value printing means comprising type bars pivoted to the actuator levers, crawl tens transfer means between said totalizer gears comprising actuator gears, a hub upon which the related actuator gear is rotatably mounted, said hub having an eccentric, and a floating gear rotatably mounted upon said eccentric, totalizing means comprising zero stops, index shoulders of the totalizer gears for contacting said stops and means for operating the actuator levers to adjust the totalizer gears successively to zero and the index shoulders thereof against said stops and to successively raise the type bars to the printing line involving rotation of said eccentrics within the cylindrical apertures of the floating gears, said actuator levers having alignor racks, and means adapted to engage said alignor racks for aligning all of said type bars after they have been raised to the printing line; incombination with auxiliary means for aligning said type bars comprising a rotatable rod having a flat surfaced portion adapted to engage the proper one of a plurality of lower teeth of each of the alignor racks of the actuator levers containing a value of zero and/or one for lowering these racks and the type bars thereof when these actuator levers have moved the related type bars upwardly beyond the printing line, and

means for first operating the auxiliary aligning means and subsequently operating said means for aligning all of the type bars, comprising a depressible spring-retracted member having pivotal connection with a crank of said rod and a slot engaging a fixed pin, a spring-retracted main alignor lever, a second lever having operating connection with said main alignor lever, and a vibratory arm of an oscillatory shaft of the machine engaging said depressible member to depress it and thereafter engaging said second lever to operate it and said main alignor lever.

2. In a calculating machine, a series of totalizer gears, actuator levers therefor, value printing means comprising type bars pivoted to said actuator levers, crawl tens transfer means between said totalizer gears, totalizing means for said gears comprising means for operating said actuator levers to rotate the totalizer gears to zero and raise the type bars to bring the correct digit type thereof approximately to the printing line, said actuator levers having alignor racks, auxiliary aligning means engageable with the proper one of a plurality of lower teeth of the alignor rack of a higher order actuator lever for lowering the same and the related type bar, main aligning means engageable with the alignor racks of all of said actuator levers, and means for first operating said auxiliary aligning means and subsequently operating said main aligning means comprising means in train with the totalizing means and operable upon completion of the rotation of the totalizer gears to zero.

3. In a calculating machine, a series of totalizer gears, actuator levers therefor, value printing means comprising type bars pivoted to said actuator levers, crawl tens transfer means between said totalizer gears, totalizing means for said gears comprising means for operating said actuator levers to rotate the totalizer gears to zero and raise the type bars to bring the correct digit type thereof approximately to the printing line, said actuator levers having alignor racks, auxiliary aligning means engageable with the proper one of a plurality of lower teeth of the alignor rack of each of the actuator levers containing a value of zero and/or one for lowering the same and the related type bars, main aligning means engageable with the alignor racks of all of the actuator levers, and means for first operating said auxiliary aligning means and subsequently operating said main aligning means comprising means in train with the totalizing means and operable upon completion of the rota-- tion of the totalizer gears to zero.

4. In a calculating machine, a series of totalizer gears, actuator levers therefor, value printing means comprising type bars pivoted to said ctuator levers, crawl tens transfer means between said totalizer gears, totalizing means for said gears comprising means for operating said actuator levers to rotate the totalizer gears to zero and to raise said type bars to bring the correct digit type thereof approximately to the printing line, said actuator levers having alignor racks, auxiliary aligning means comprising a rotatable member engageable with the proper one of a plurality of lower teeth of the alignor racks of each of the actuator levers containingla value of zero and/ or one for lowering the same and the related type bars, main aligning means comprising a lever engageable with the alignor racks of all of said actuator levers, and means for first rotating said alignor member and subsequently operating said alignor lever comprising means in train with the totalizing means and operable upon completion of the rotation of the totalizer gears to zero.

5. In a calculating machine, a series of totalizer gears, actuator levers therefor, value printing means comprising type bars pivoted to said actuator levers, crawl tens transfer means between said totalizer gears, totalizing means for said gears comprising means for operating said actuator levers to rotate the totalizer gears to zero and to raise the type bars to bring the correct digit type thereof approximately to the printing line, said actuator levers having alignor racks, auxiliary aligning means comprising a rotatable rod having a fiat-surfaced portion engageable with the proper one of a plurality of lower teeth of the alignor racks of each of the actuator levers containing a value of zero and/ or one for lowering the same and the related type bars and a springretracted depressible member having operating connection with said rod, main aligning means comprising a spring-retracted alignor lever engageable with the alignor racks of all of the actuator levers, a cam plate lever having constant wiping engagement with said alignor lever and a second lever having operating connection with said cam plate lever, an oscillatory shaft having a crank arm, and means in train with the totalizing 1-S&11S and operable upon completion of the rotation of the totalizer gears to zero for oscillating said shaft, said depressible member being first operable and said second lever being subsequently operable by said crank arm.

6. In a motor driven calculating machine, a series of totalizer gears, actuator levers therefor, value printing means comprising type bars pivoted to said actuator levers, crawl tens transfer means between said totalizer gears, totalizing means comprising zero stops, index shoulders of said gears engageable with said stops, a manipulable key, and means controlled by said key for operating said actuator levers to rotate the totalizer gears to zero, to move the index shoulders thereof against said stops and to raise the type bars to bring the correct digit type thereof approximately to the printing line, said actuator levers having alignor racks, auxiliary aligning means engageable with the proper one of a plurality of lower teeth of the alignor rack of a higher order actuator lever for lowering the same and the related type bar, main aligning means engageable with the alignor racks of all of the actuator levers, a one-cycle clutch in train with the motor, said key controlled means having means for closing said clutch upon completion of the rotation of the totalizer gears to zero, and

means for first operating said auxiliary aligning means and subsequently operating said main aligning means comprising means controlled by said clutch.

'7. In a motor driven calculating machine, a.

series of totalizer gears, actuator levers therefor, value printing means comprising type bars pivoted to said actuator levers, crawl tens transfer means, between said totalizer gears, totalizing means comprising zero stops, index shoulders of.

said totalizer gears engageable with said stops, a manipulable key, and means controlled by said key for operating said actuator levers to rotate the totalizer gears to zero, to move the index shoulders thereof against said stops and to raise the type bars to bring the correct digit type thereof approximately to the printing line, said actuator levers having alignor racks, auxiliary aligning means engageable with the proper one of a plurality of lower-teeth of the alignor racks of each of the actuator levers containing a value of zero and/or one for lowering the same and the related type bars, main aligning means engageable with the alignor racks of all of the actuator levers, a one-cycle clutch in train with the motor, said key controlled means having means for closing said clutch upon completion of the rotation of said totalizer gears to zero, and means for first operating said auxiliary aligning means and subsequently operating said main aligning means comprising means controlled by said clutch.

8. In a motor driven calculating machine, a series of totalizer gears, actuator levers therefor, value printing means comprising type bars pivoted to said actuator levers, crawl tens transfer means between said totalizer gears, totalizing means comp-rising zero stops, index shoulders of said totalizer gears engageable with said stops, at manipulable key and means controlled by said key for operating said actuator levers to rotate the totalizer gears to zero, to move the index shoulders thereof against said stops and to raise the type bars to bring the correct digit type there of approximately to the printing line, said actuator levers having alignor racks, auxiliary aligning means comprising a rotatable member engageable with the proper one of a plurality of lower teeth of the alignor racks of each of the actuator levers containing a value of zero and/or one for lowering the same and the related type bars, main aligning means comprising an alignor lever engageable with the alignor racks of all of the actuator levers, a one-cycle clutch in train with the motor, said key-controlled means having means for closing said clutch upon completion of the rotation of the totalizer gears to zero, and means controlled by said clutch for first rotating said alignor member and subsequently operating said alignor lever comprising means controlled by said clutch.

9. In a motor driven calculating machine, a series of totalizer gears, actuator levers therefor, value printing means comprising type bars pivot- 10 ed to said actuator levers, crawl tens transfer means between said totalizer gears, totalizing means comprising zero stops, index shoulders of said totalizer gears engageable with said stops, a manip-ulable key and means controlled by said key for operating said actuator levers to rotate the totalizer gears to zero, to move the index shoulders thereof against said stops and to raise the type bars to bring the correct digit type thereof approximately to the printing line, said actuator levers having alignor racks, auxiliary aligning means comprising a rotatable rod having a fiat-surfaced portion engageable with the proper one of a plurality of lower teeth of the alignor racks of each of the actuator levers containing a value of zero and/or one for lowering the same and the related type bars and a springretracted depressible member having operating connection with said rod, main aligning means comprising a springretracted alignor lever engageable with the alignor racks of all of the actuator levers, a cam plate lever having constant wiping engagement with said alignor lever, and a second lever having operating connection with said cam plate lever, a one-cycle clutch in train with the motor, an'oscillatory shaft having a crank arm, said key-controlled means having means for closing said clutch upon completion of the rotation of said totalizer gears to zero, and means controlled by said clutch for oscillating said shaft, said depressible member being first operable and said second lever being subsequently operable by said crank arm.

HOWARD M. FLEMING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Crosman Sept. 28, 1943 

